Akiza Izinski, known as Aki Izayoi in the Japanese version, is a main character from Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, and was one of the Signers. She is also called the Black Rose, or Black Rose Witch in the Japanese version.

Akiza possesses an extremely strong special ability which sets her apart from the rest of humanity, and even the rest of the Signers. This psychic ability enables her to psionically materialize and bring to life monsters and the effects of Duel Monsters cards, allowing her to freely control them similar to Yami Bakura, Belowski and Jaden Yuki.

Contents

Design

Appearance

Lineart.

Akiza is a teenager of average height. She has fair skin, brown eyes, and dark burgundy hair. Her hair is mostly chin-length with the addition of long, elbow-length bangs that frame both sides of her face. She rolls her front bangs with a device similar to a hair curler on top of her head, which helps her restrain her powers, while a bit hangs down on each side.

Akiza in the original (left) and in the dub (right).

Her wardrobe appears to have Victorian influences, but also bears resemblance to uniforms that were worn by female military generals during the 1980s. Akiza wears a low-cut red corset with short, light green puffy sleeves and a high collar. (In the dub version of the anime, her cleavage is covered and sometimes made smaller to make her more suitable for younger children.). She also sports a sleeveless magenta trench coat that flares behind her which is shorter and pleated in the front. She wears a red neck choker and an emerald crested, golden cross-shaped medallion, as well as a pair of dark, elbow-length gloves with a pair of gold bracelets above them. Her stockings are the same color as her gloves, and are connected to her skirt (In the dub version of the anime, the stockings are edited) and she wears red high heeled pumps/sandals with them.

Akiza's first Duel Disk has pink, purple, and red trim with purple jewels. Later on, she uses the hybrid Duel Disk attached to her Duel Runner, which has the same color scheme as the previous one.

For Turbo Duels, Akiza instead uses a form fitting motorcycle red suit which shows her cleavage, along with an enclosed helmet, and high heel boots.

If at school, she wears the New Domino academy girls uniform. It consists of a burgundy coat, white button-down shirt, same stockings as her usual attire, a medium-length skirt, and a green tie.

On formal occasions she wears a short red dress with long white gloves and red high heels.

After Yusei's Duel against Z-one, Akiza had longer hair and had her bangs cut. She also wore a red headband. During the dinner party in the last episodes, she wore a white top and brown sandals, and, in the final episode, she wore a red shirt, stockings, and red high heel pumps.

Personality

Initially, Akiza had a very cold and distant nature to her demeanor, a result of spending years being treated as a monster. She viewed everyone around her as her enemy and eventually stopped caring about other people's feelings. It wasn't until Sayer showed her compassion, that Akiza began to have hope in her life again. Despite this new feeling of self-worth from Sayer, Akiza's rage at the world continued to grow, which Sayer intentionally drove her towards. After meeting Yusei, Akiza began to question the path she took of distancing herself from normal society. Finding conflicted emotions between both Yusei and Sayer's words, Akiza began to lose her focus and by extension her performance began to slip. When Sayer "died" and Akiza lost her last "place" to turn to, her parents, the people who unintentionally drove her down her hate-filled path, showed how sorry they were for their mistakes and wanted her back with loving intentions. With assistance from Yusei this allowed Akiza to finally find peace and be willing to join normal society again. After joining Yusei and his friends, Akiza's demeanor has become much more caring, kind-hearted, valuing true friendship and becoming eager to help those close to her whenever possible.

She also cares very much for children, as seen when she stood up to Hiettman saying "I never approve of adults who try to harm children!"[4]

In the manga, from the beginning, she is more friendly and lacking her previously hostile nature. She's friends with many of the girls in the Duel Academy she currently attends.

Abilities

Akiza's telekinetic abilities are that of a Psychic Duelist. This exceptionally strong psionic ability enables her to materialize monsters and effects of Duel Monsters cards. While this psychic power is undefined in the Japanese version, in the English dub, Commander Koda states that Akiza possesses telekinesis. It is said that her powers are linked directly to the violent nature of her mind, the reason behind why it had continued to grow over the years. According to Sayer, these powers are far much stronger than even she realizes, since he states them to be superior even to those of the Dark Signers. The full strength of her telekinetic abilities and potential is directly related to her psyche and tendency toward violence, weakening as her violent streak fades. This becomes more apparent after dueling against Yusei at the Fortune Cup.

Initially Akiza had little control of her incredibly strong telekinesis. She uses a special hairpin ("energy stabilizer" in the dub version), to help restrain them. When she completely loses control, the pin gets flung off and her powers increase more than usual. After her second Duel with Yusei, she is able to control them for the first time. This is because she wanted to protect her father from the serious great harm that would have occurred from her inability to control her psionic abilities.

Akiza originally despised her Mark of the Dragon, believing it to be the cause of her unwanted power and even noted it as a "wretched mark." She later changed her opinion after her second duel with Yusei, who believed it to have brought the other Signers together as friends.

In the second season, her personality has started to lighten up, and so the influence her telekinesis used to have over Akiza has changed dramatically. Akiza is now able to control them, much like Sayer, as demonstrated when she manifested her cards outside of a Duel. This was seen in three situations: when she Summons her "Rose Tentacles" to rescue Yusei, then to bring out Yusei's "Stardust Dragon" to save them from a vehicle dropped onto them, and when she Summons "Black Rose Dragon" to stop Dobocle. In her first Turbo Duel against Trudge, Akiza didn´t cause any real damage to him, pointing out that she can now voluntarily choose not to harm her opponent. During Luna and Leo's duel against Lester, it was revealed that Akiza can also see spirits, like Luna.

After Team Catastrophe caused her to crash, her psychic abilities had disappeared. At first, Akiza felt uneasy about this, but ultimately realized she did not need her special abilities to help people. Ultimately, her powers remained in the form of "Black Rose Dragon"; after her Duel against Sherry, it remained materialized to help protect Aki, Crow and Sherry from falling rubble. In that instance, it displayed the ability to heal wounds and then it vanished. Akiza also states "Black Rose Dragon" protecting them to be her monsters will.

Etymology

"Izayoi" means "sixteen-day-old moon" in Japanese. A sixteen-day-old moon has just passed its fullest phase, so it is at this point that its brightness begins to decline. This is a reference to her age of sixteen at the start of the series.

Biography

Childhood

Young Akiza.

Akiza was raised in New Domino City. Her father, Hideo was unable to spend as much time with her as he would have liked, due to his work as senator.[5]

Some known stories of her past include the time Akiza fell asleep waiting for her father to come home for her birthday. When he got home, Hideo carried her off to bed and left a present next to her. The next day, Akiza opened the Lord of the Storm present and thanked her father. She wanted to duel Hideo but was unable to as promised, due to the fact he had to leave for work and wouldn't return for a month. This caused Akiza to storm off crying that she hated him. (In the dub, she told him to never come back.)[5]

Hideo eventually managed to make time for a Duel. After being interrupted by his cellphone, Hideo had to cancel the Duel and leave. Akiza got upset and continued the Duel in a fury, causing her powers and mark to manifest and appear for the first time. Hideo becomes injured in the process. Confused and scared, Akiza approaches her father asking for help, but is called a monster and told to stay back, causing her to cry. He tries to apologize, but Akiza is already stung by these words.[5]

Akiza became distanced from other children, due to her abilities. She once Summoned a "Gigaplant" using her powers and set it on a group of other children. Hideo slapped her, as punishment. Akiza believed to have deserved this, because she is a "monster" (in the dub, the slapping never happened).[5]

Teenage life

Akiza after causing an accident at Duel Academy.

Akiza gained entrance to a Duel Academy. Her parents hoped some one there could teach her to control her powers.[5]

At the age of about thirteen, on May 15, Akiza harmed one of the boys at the Academy during a Duel, as she attacked him with "Violet Witch". (In the English anime he was Koda)[2]
More incidents followed, causing Akiza to become feared in the Academy and not have any friends.[2]

She ran back home one day, only to find her parents living happily without her. As a response, Akiza used her psionic abilities to destroy her family's home and decided to continue living without them, believing that they never needed her or loved her as their only daughter.[5]

Akiza gained entrance in the dueling underground and quickly made a name for herself. Her powers kept growing unchecked and hurt many on the battlefield. She eventually decided she could not handle the guilt anymore and created the "Black Rose" persona to deal with the rejection and terrorize the duelists.[2]

Akiza as the Black Rose at Daimon Area.

Akiza was eventually found by Sayer, the leader of the Arcadia Movement, an organization of Psychic Duelists that claims to have psionic abilities similar to Akiza's;[2] he takes her in, proclaiming her to be the "future" of all psychic duelists. Sayer hoped to use her to destroy Goodwin and create an army of Psychic duelists.[6]

Akiza meets another Psychic Duelist, Toby Tredwell at Duel Academy. Toby idolized Akiza and asked what he should do to be like her. She told him that he should listen to Sayer. Sayer, however, kills Toby while testing him and left his body at the Daimon Area(in the English version he is sent away to another location). Unbeknownst to Akiza, people came to believe he had been killed by damage caused by the Black Rose's powers, while watching her dueling.[7][8]

Leo and Dexter decide to challenge the Black Rose to a Duel. During this encounter Akiza sees Yusei Fudo and his own Mark of the Dragon for the first time. She expresses surprise to the fact that another individual also possesses such a mark, and after a brief confrontation, Akiza uses her mighty telepathic and telekinetic abilities to disappear in a powerful explosion telling Yusei to leave her alone.[9]

Fortune Cup

Yliaster arrange for her opponent, Gill Randsborg to expose her as a Signer and tell him that she is the Black Rose. Akiza proved her psychic powers as she cuts Randsborg on the cheek while dueling. Akiza is exposed as the Black Rose, after Summoning "Black Rose Dragon", prompting the crowd to cheer for Randsborg. However Akiza defeats Randsborg with her dragon, inflicting serious injury. Yliaster was unable to confirm her to be a Signer, as Zigzix'sD-Sensor got no reading.[10]

Prior to Akiza's next Duel, she confesses to Sayer that she is reluctant to duel, as she knows someone is going get hurt. Sayer assures her that any damage she inflicts is necessary for the Arcadia Movement's success; consequently, he also takes the mask Akiza had been using to Duel as the "Black Rose", claiming that she no longer needs to hide her beautiful face from the world.[2]

Akiza lets her abilities take over.

Akiza's next opponent in the Fortune Cup, and second round in the Fortune Cup, is the Duel Profiler, Commander Koda, a mysterious man who attempts to confuse and manipulate Akiza with tragic insights from her dark past. After being pushed to her psychological limits, Akiza loses control and becomes even more unstable than usual. The pin-like object she uses to hold her hair, and psionic/physic powers, in place falls off, leaving Akiza's long bangs trailing over her face, and an intense pink aura forms around her. Her birthmark as well activates, and Zigzix's D-Sensor finally gets a powerful reading. Ultimately, she claims victory and moves on to the tournament finals against Yusei Fudo.[2]

Before the Duel, the audience screams angrily at Akiza and demands that Yusei defeat her, despite their original dislike of him. Several of the spectators closest to the Duel flee after Akiza's ferocious attack on Yusei becomes a reality. After her first crippling attack against Yusei, he angrily exclaims that Akiza enjoys inflicting pain on others. With a mildly insane smile, Akiza gasps for breath and realizes that this was the hidden emotion that had been lying dormant within her; she replies that she is the "Black Rose", a fearful lady who delights in inflicting pain. However, she seems to accept this as her fate after the audience insults her again, screaming for her slaughter. However, Yusei isn't perturbed, and knows that the hidden emotion that he is looking for still remains locked deep inside of Akiza.[11]

Akiza's Black Rose mask breaks, as she duels against Yusei.

As the Duel between the two proceeds, Akiza Summons "Black Rose Dragon" and Yusei Summons "Stardust Dragon". With the two Dragons pitted against each other, both Akiza and Yusei's dragon marks glow, along with those of Luna and Jack. After being pressured by Yusei, Akiza reveals that she created an entirely new personality - one that loved destruction - that of the "Black Rose". She continues to add that she no longer needs to think, and that Sayer will do all her thinking for her - all she needs to do is live and feel. Akiza's hair pin gets flung off (which is said to hold her psychic powers in check), dawns her mask and resumes attacking Yusei with newfound intensity.[12]

Ultimately, Yusei claims victory. Akiza's mask breaks in half and she begins to cry begging for his help. Before Yusei can say anything, Sayer intervenes and gently guides Akiza out of the arena, leaving the enraged spectators screaming their obscenities to Akiza (In the dub end of this episode, she is heard saying "Thank you Yusei").[12]

She's then taken back to the Arcadia Headquarters mobile and placed in a tank to help her recover from the Duel. When Jack and Yusei battle it out her mark glows and she is transported to a different dimension where she witnesses Satellite be destroyed by a spider mark. Sayer takes Akiza back to the Arcadia building to finish recovering from the duel between her and Yusei.[13]

Dark Signers

After the Fortune Cup, Akiza's empathic, telepathic and telekinetic abilities began to weaken.[14]

Akiza's mark starts to throb as Yusei duels Kalin, although she is not present at the duel. She knows that this is related to the vision they witnessed during the Fortune Cup. After Yusei nearly loses, her mark stops glowing, causing her to worry about Yusei.[15]

After a practice Duel, Sayer speaks with Akiza, telling her that only he can help her and Yusei will not come and save her.[14]

While Sayer tests Leo to see if he possess Psychic Dueling powers, after abducting him and his companions, Akiza explains to Luna that Sayer wants to determine if Leo possesses any sort of ability like her. After the Duel ends with Sayer's victory, Akiza assures Luna that her brother isn't in danger as the Duel was just a test. She tells Luna that the Arcadia Movement will be her new home, as Akiza doesn't wish for Luna to become feared and abandoned by others because of her powers.[14][16]

While Akiza is searching for Sayer, Misty Tredwell, the sister of Toby, engages in a Shadow Duel with her. During the Duel, Misty accuses Akiza of being responsible for the death of her brother and reveals she is there seeking revenge. Misty manages to Summon her Earthbound Immortal, who she says sent her to destroy the servant of the "Black Rose Dragon". Meanwhile Carly finishes her Duel with Sayer, sending him falling the entire length of the Arcadia Movement building with Akiza looking in horror. Misty postpones the Duel as the building collapses. A piece of debris hits Akiza, knocking her out.[17]

Akiza controls her psychic powers for the first time

Jack Atlas saves Akiza and takes her to Domino Hospital. Akiza is left in a coma. Her parents visit her and feel guilty for how they treated her. Jack tells them that Yusei may be able to save their daughter. Yusei is able to wake her up, but with Sayer gone Akiza convinces herself that she doesn't have a "place". She refuses Yusei's help and plans to rid everyone of their "place". Yusei duels her, believing it to be the only way to reach out to her. As the duel progresses, Akiza's powers go beyond her control. As Akiza's father stands in front of Yusei to protect him, Akiza manages to gain control of her powers and protect her father from getting hit. Akiza comes to forgive her parents and tells Yusei to end the Duel.[5][18]

After the Duel, she becomes friends with Yusei and decides to help the Signers. She is shown by Mina the Arcadia Movement acts involving kidnapped children and experiments upon them. It's then that she suspects that the organization itself might have actually be involved with the death of Misty´s little brother. Finally Mina reveals to her Sayer´s true motives involving the choosing of some selected psychic individuals with heightened abilities and the planned use of them as soldiers, as one of them is actually Akiza herself.[6]

After that Akiza along with the other Signers are invited by Rex Goodwin to his house to learn more about the Signers and Dark Signers. Goodwin tells them that the Crimson Dragon influenced the events in the Signers's lives so that they would all meet one day and if it weren't for her powers, she would have never met Yusei and the other Signers. He tells the Signers that they are people chosen by the Crimson Dragon and are the reincarnations of the original Signers.[6]

The Signers along with Leo and Mina take a helicopter piloted by Trudge to Satellite to face the Dark Signers. In Satellite they meet up with Martha. Seeing Akiza there, Martha notices that Yusei was able to open her closed heart. Roman interrupts them during dinner, imposing a Duel. Akiza accompanies Yusei as he duels Roman. She notices some boys at the scene of the Duel and worries that they will be sacrificed to Summon an Earthbound Immortal. She warns Martha and Trudge about this, prompting them to help save the boys.[19]

After Yusei and Roman's Shadow Duel, Akiza and the Signers are confronted by the Dark Signers. The four Signers split up, each going to one of the four control units of the Original Ener-D Reactor. Knowing that Misty is the one she must defeat, Akiza travels to the Lizard tower by car accompanied by Mina. Akiza and Mina arrive where the Tower is situated, in an old and abandoned carnival. As the two of them split up and go inside to look for the female Dark Signer. Misty guides her into a House of Mirrors, where they commence their rematch.[7][20]

Akiza dueling Misty.

Akiza is unable to see Misty directly and faces her reflection as they duel. Through the Duel, Misty, who believes Akiza was responsible for her brother Toby's death, tells Akiza what she believes to be the story of how her brother died and how the news of the event, caused Misty to be hospitalized, leading her to be reborn as a Dark Signer.[7]

Tormented by the truth, Akiza loses the will to continue the Duel. However Sayer appears to save her from landing on a shard of shattered glass. He proceeds to deviously manipulate her into awakening her powers as the Black Rose once again. Now more confident and destructive Akiza doesn't even flinch, as she takes damage from Misty's attacks. The Black Rose Summons "Black Rose Dragon", who shatters every mirror in the vicinity. With all of the mirrors gone, the two of them now confront each other face-to-face.[7]

Akiza continues to Duel under the influence of Sayer, until Yusei tricks Sayer into telling the truth of what happened to Toby. This causes Misty to have "Ccarayhua" devour Sayer, avenging her brother's death and relinquishing Sayer's influence from Akiza. Before Misty could surrender, the Envoy of the Underworld takes control of her. While this occurs, Akiza who still appears to be in some kind of trance, finally snaps out of it as she hears Yusei calling out for her. Thus with the dark and evil entity having gained possession of Misty the Duel continues. Thus at the end Akiza emerges victorious, causing Misty to vanish, knowing she's at peace. Ccarayhua's captive souls are set free and Misty's locket is left behind. Akiza picks it up and feels sorry for Misty.[8]

Akiza is unable to activate the last control unit before the sun sets, allowing the King of the Netherworld to be revived. As Akiza observes the Condor geoglyph appear in the sky, the King of the Netherworld emerges and makes its way to the condor. The Crimson Dragon appears and takes Akiza and her companions to Rex Goodwin's mansion. Here Goodwin reveals himself to be the final Dark Signer and attaches the arm of the fifth Signer to himself. He declares that a Shadow Turbo Duel will be held within Condor geoglyph as a ritual to welcome the King of the Netherworld.

As Yusei, Jack, and Crow accept the Duel in order to stop the resurrection of the King of the Netherworld Akiza, Mina, Trudge, Leo, and Luna can at first only watch the duel while supporting them. However, when "Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca" is Summoned, it tries to cheat by summoning a flock of demonic black birds to attack Yusei, Jack, and Crow. Akiza and Luna are able to provide actual aid by Summoning "Black Rose Dragon" and "Ancient Fairy Dragon" to fight the horde, since the Condor geoglyph materializes all Duel Monsters.[21]

After the duel between Rex Goodwin and Yusei, she sits in front of a cafe with Leo, Luna and Mina, they are apparently waiting for Yusei, Jack, and Crow. Here Akiza discusses Misty's last photo shoot in Paris, simultaneously laughing in amusement as Carly is flustered over her forgotten role in the prior events, as well as rejoicing in the number of lives saved.[21]

Pre-World Racing Grand Prix

Akiza at Duel Academy

Akiza returns to Duel Academy and enrolls into the high school division, being at the top of her class as stated by the twins. Hearing that Leo and Luna's class is going to get removed from the school and the students will be expelled, she enters their class and tries to stop the expulsion in her protest, arguing in her statement that having low level monsters doesn't mean that you are weak, and she never forgives any adult for taking advantages over children. After Yusei interrupts, she watches and cheers for him in his Duel against Rudolph Heitmann.[22]

Akiza as a Turbo Duelist

Later Yusei gets kidnapped by a corporation seeking to brainwash him into riding for their team. After realizing that Yusei has been kidnapped, Akiza becomes intent on rescuing him. After receiving a tip off from Elsworth on Yusei's location, she and Mina find him trapped in the back of a remote controlled truck. Using her powers, Akiza summons "Rose Tentacles" and has it break open the truck and proceeds to leap on herself. Although reluctant at first, she gets on the back of Yusei's Duel Runner and the two of them jump off to escape.[23] A female Turbo Duelist named Sherry LeBlanc appears and forces Yusei into a Turbo Duel with Akiza still on the back of his Runner. Boss and his goons attempt to kill the duelists by dropping a truck on top of them, but Akiza plays Yusei's "Stardust Dragon" causing it to appear as a real monster and hold up the truck.[24]

Akiza on her Duel Runner.

Intrigued by Sherry's words about the uniqueness of Turbo Dueling, Akiza became interested in becoming a Turbo Duelist. Her friends construct her a Duel Runner. As she trains, she is mocked by the male students. Yusei helps her train, including taking her skating to work on her balance. Leo and Luna debate on whether that was a date or not.[25]

After passing the initial tests, her final test is a Duel against Trudge. In addition to being new to Speed Spells, Trudge is harsh on the course and easily stops her Black Rose Dragon on the first turn. The male students from earlier detonate a trap, causing a frame holding back large pipes to collapse and spill in her direction. Using what she learned from Yusei she dodges the pipes and continues to defeat Trudge. Sherry watched the whole thing and was impressed. Yusei and friends welcome her to the world of Turbo Dueling.[25]

After her exam, she continues practicing with Yusei on her Turbo Dueling.[26] During Luna and Leo's duel with Lester, her mark begins to glow. Realizing that Luna was dueling and that something wasn't right, she, Yusei, Crow, and Jack decide to look for her. Once they find her, they all notice that she's dueling with Leo against someone using a creature similar to the one Yusei dueled against.[27]

World Racing Grand Prix

Akiza later joins Team 5D's as a substitute, and decides to support her friends throughout the World Racing Grand Prix. When Crow is injured while training for the WRGP and must sit the first round out, Akiza takes his place on the team. Crow is a little upset at first, but eventually warms up to it, to the point that she receives a call from him so that she can practice. On the day of the first round, after Jack had lost against Andre, Akiza becomes nervous before her duel begins. In response to that, Yusei points out that her parents have come to see her Turbo Duel and that she is not alone like before. Yusei gives her his "Stardust Dragon", and believes that she can use it well. Akiza commences her duel, but Andre is able to drastically reduce her life points. Despite being pushed into a corner, Akiza is able to Summon not only her "Black Rose Dragon", but also Yusei's "Stardust Dragon". Ultimately, Andre succeeded in countering her moves, but before he could claim victory, Akiza used the remainder of her Life Points to bring back "Stardust Dragon" for Yusei to use.

While training for the next round against Team Catastrophe, she found herself in the same situation that Crow, Jean and Andre were before they crashed. Reacting quickly, she tried to use "Rose Tentacles", augmented by her powers, to try to escape the situation, but to her shock, she discovered that she couldn't use her powers at all. Inevitably, as a result, her Duel Runner is damaged and she loses consciousness.

Sometime after, while Yusei is fighting against Primo, Akiza finally awakes due to the severe thunderstorm caused by Primo. She then remembers what happened and concludes that her powers have mysteriously vanished. While there in the hospital, because of her mark, she becomes aware of Yusei fighting, while she helps Haruka, who is afraid of the thunder hitting the city. Later, when the storm is amplified due to a tornado caused by Primo, the intense wind causes the hospital's windows to break and Haruka gets caught up in it. Thinking that she could save her easily if she could use her powers, she eventually reminds herself of her former view of them and decides to help Haruka on her own. After successfully rescuing her, she finally understands that her powers are not necessary to help people. Akiza in the end concludes that she doesn´t need that "cursed power" anymore.

After Yusei wins his Duel against Primo, she is with the other members of Team 5D's, discussing the matter of the Three Emperors of Yliaster. She later assists in luring out Lazar to gain information on them. When Lazar shows them a Turbo Duel Puzzle to access a database Akiza completes the first puzzle after Lazar had failed. She is seen as part of the pit crew once Crow has his arm healed, supporting her teammates through their victories against Team Taiyo and Team Ragnarok and appears with Yusei, Jack, and Crow to confront and compliment the teams. Akiza and the twins help Carly in her report about Team 5D's recalling the events that brought them together only to have it ruined when Stephanie accidentally spilled coffee all over Carly's computer.

During Yusei's duel with Aporia, Akiza, along with the rest of Team 5D's, is transported to the Infinity Trio's visions of the future. She watches as the power of Synchro Summoning and Ener-D become too powerful over years of abuse, creating a second Zero Reverse event as well as the Earth being attacked by the Meklord army. After returning to the present, she is conflicted as to whether what she just saw was the truth or not, but continues to believe in Yusei and the future she and her friends are trying to create.

Ark Cradle

Akiza and the rest of the team then accompany Yusei on his assault on the Divine Temple. When the gang gets split into three groups, she travels with Crow to the center of the structure. When Sherry appears before them, the two of them duel her. Sherry plays her "Ecole de Zone" Field Spell, separating them. After struggling for a few turns, Akiza sees through Sherry's trick and with Crow's help successfully Summons her "Black Rose Dragon", using its effect to destroy the Field Spell. She is reunited with Crow, but Sherry fights back by using "Z-ONE" to activate "Soul-Binding Gate".

Because of the effect of the new Field Spell all three of them receive damage, with Akiza on the verge of being defeated. Crow saves her from defeat, and Akiza returns the favor by saving him from a direct attack from Sherry's "Sorciere de Fleur" and helping win the Duel. During the duel, Sherry reveals to them that she wishes to create a world where everyone gets to be with their family, herself included. Crow was hesitant to continue fighting when he saw a few orphans from the Satellite in the vision, but Akiza quickly reminds him that millions of people will die if they let Sherry and Z-one destroy New Domino City. She also tells him that as long as he believes in the future, anything can be done. With his conviction returned, they continue the duel. Sherry is defeated, however because the cards in the duel are real her Soul Binding Gate crumbles and is about to fall on her. Both Akiza and Crow try to save her and almost suffer the same fate. However, Akiza's "Black Rose Dragon" who is still materialized saves them: Akiza had wished to save Crow and Sherry, which "Black Rose Dragon" responded to. "Black Rose Dragon" also heals them before disappearing, leading Crow to speculate that true psychic power heals. Akiza and Crow then convince Sherry to join their cause.

Akiza being healed by her powers.

When Yusei begins to duel Antinomy, Akiza's mark glows and she senses that something is wrong.

After Yusei defeats Antinomy, the door to the Support Gear opens, allowing Akiza, Crow, and Sherry to pass. They reunite with Yusei and the others, and Akiza notices that Dark Glass was not there with them. When she asks Yusei where he is, Yusei tells them his true identity was Bruno, a friend of Z-one who died to save Yusei. They move to the main support gear, where they find Z-one, and Aporia, who appears a few moments later. When Aporia tries to reason with Z-one, he reveals that Z-one also had hope for the future and hope for Team 5D's, which surprises Akiza greatly.

Later, upon Aporia's loss and realizing the power of Z-one's deck, she gives Yusei her Black Rose Dragon in order to help him in the duel. Like everyone else, Akiza becomes shocked to see Z-one's true face when it is unveiled by Yusei's attack. After Yusei defeats Z-one and the Divine Temple disappears, Akiza begins to cry over his apparent death, but later rejoices when he reappears over the horizon.

Team 5D's future

Akiza visits Haruka in hospital.

Over the few months after Z-one's defeat, Team 5D's began to see less of each other. Akiza visited Haruka in the hospital coming up to her discharge date to congratulate Haruka on her recovery. Haruka thanked her, but Akiza insisted that the doctor deserved thanks more so than her. Coming up to her graduation, Akiza was the number one student at Duel Academy, so her friends thought that she might join a pro league. However Akiza considered studying medicine abroad, but was uncertain if she should do that or stay in New Domino with her friends.[28]

Akiza attended a dinner party for Team 5D's, hosted by Yusei. At the party, she got mad at Crow for assuming that she wanted to join a pro league. Everyone fell into silence when they learned that all of them were considering leaving the city. Jack then arrived at the party and announced that he wanted to become King again, even if it meant breaking Team 5D's bonds. In order gain insight in what to do in their futures, Yusei challenged Jack to a Duel while everyone else watched.[28]

During the Duel, Akiza reflected on how Yusei had always protected her. Seeing him finally fighting to himself after always fighting for other people, Akiza aspired to become more independent.[29] When the Duel concluded,
Akiza told Yusei that she had made-up her mind and was going to study abroad. Everyone on the team except Yusei also decided to
leave the city.[30]

Akiza says goodbye to Yusei.

As Akiza packed to leave for medical school, her parents suggested that she say goodbye properly to Yusei after all the support he had given her. After confirming that nobody else was around, she was about to say to Yusei that she loved him, but she stopped herself and instead said that she loved knowing him. Yusei said that he was too. She then admitted to think Yusei was a scary person when they first met. Yusei laughed and said he felt the same about her and had worried about what would happen if he had lost to her in the Fortune Cup. Akiza was slightly taken aback, but Yusei reminded her to smile. They held hands and Yusei complimented her smile, which Akiza credited him for putting on her face. The two parted shortly afterwards.[30]

The next day, Akiza met up with the rest of Team 5D's on the highway for a final ride together. Akiza, while looking at Yusei, chooses not to say good-bye and instead promises herself to return someday. As they did so, the Crimson Dragon appeared and relinquished their Marks of the Dragon, as their duties as Signers had been completed. At the end of the run, everyone high fived Yusei and went down separate paths.[30]

Akiza as a doctor.

Over the next eight years,[31] Akiza becomes a high-ranking doctor at a hospital in an unknown city, still recalling her days with Team 5D's. After a nurse bursts in to her office, crying that she couldn't do something, Akiza advised her that she mustn't give up and they must both continue to smile and support their patients. The nurse asked how she was so strong and Akiza credited her strength to Yusei telling her to believe in and challenge her potential.[30]

Relationships

Yusei Fudo

Akiza has shown a strong connection to Yusei, being thankful that he helped her gain acceptance of who she is. Of all the Signers, Akiza feels closest to Yusei, as he helped her overcome her self doubt and proved to her that she could change and make friends, despite everyone else she ever encountered telling her otherwise. Thus, occasionally, Akiza is teased about being jealous or protective of Yusei, which tends to cause her to be threatening or annoyed and even dodge the subject. She was also upset when Yusei ignored her due to spending time with Bruno.[23][32] Leo and Luna have also debated about her and Yusei's relationship when they were skating, as they both eventually thought it was a date.[33] Before Yusei fights against Bruno in the Ark Cradle, Akiza seems to be the only one to feel something is wrong through her mark.[34] Akiza became a Turbo Duelist in order to understand him better.[33]

Furthermore, Yusei has displayed protectiveness and care for Akiza. He was the only one who continued fighting for her and believed that she was a good person at heart who had been mistreated her whole life.[35] He was determined to make her his friend, despite her destructive and maniacal nature, and eventually she let go of her anger and made friends with him.[36] After making friends with Yusei, Akiza began to trust people better and be more open to others.[37] Yusei has also demonstrated that he has a considerable amount of trust in her, as seen when he gives her his "Stardust Dragon".[38]

After Yusei's defeat of Z-one and the disappearance of the Ark Cradle, Akiza and the others teared up presuming Yusei had died. However, she was the first of the group to notice Yusei flying back and began crying tears of happiness.[39] Six months later, after her decision to study abroad in Germany, she visits Yusei in the garage late at night to say goodbye to him. She tried to confess her love for him, but changes her mind. Yusei and Akiza talk briefly before Yusei takes her hands into his and reminds her to never stop smiling, adding that she has the most beautiful smile in the world. They then gaze into each other's eyes before parting shortly afterward. This is the strongest indication that Yusei may reciprocate Akiza's feelings. She also intended to meet him again sometime by her words in the 8 years pass time-skip.[40]

In the dub version, characters are more blunt in terms of pointing out her feelings for Yusei, such as Jack outright saying she was in love with Yusei[41], or Sayer accusing her of liking Yusei.[42]

Sayer

In the beginning, Akiza did whatever Sayer said and was obsessed with him, believing her heart to be rightly guided by him and that she wants to let Sayer think for her.[43][35]. Later Akiza starts to struggle about Yusei and Sayer, and was shown to visably not be happy when Sayer had said Yusei couldn't save her.[44] Her struggle to stay loyal to Sayer is further shown, as she didn't like how Sayer harmed Leo in the Duel, and felt like she was being used as a billboard during a conversation with Sayer.[45] She was devastated at seeing Sayer fall to his supposed death.[46] Even after finding out Sayer's true motives and that she had been used all along, she still valued him for accepting her even if it was just for her abilities[37] and was deeply happy when she realized Sayer was alive.[47]

Leo and Luna

After the Dark Signers event, she spends a lot of time with Leo and Luna, even going to the same school.[22] The twins have been very supportive of her and sees her as their surrogate big sister; and in turn, she cares for them as well like they were her little brother and sister.

Crow Hogan

It wasn't until Season 2 that Crow and Akiza started interacting with each other. When Crow breaks his arm before the first preliminary match against Team Unicorn, Akiza offers to take his place until he gets better. Crow was against the idea at first, but eventually started giving her personal training on her Duel Runner.[48] Because of this, the two have bonded and have become good friends. Their friendship allowed for great teamwork and victory in their duel against Sherry.[49]

Sherry LeBlanc

There really isn't much interaction between Akiza and Sherry, but Akiza admires Sherry's abilities and is part of the reason she wanted to become a Turbo Duelist.[24]

Their relationship in the manga is much different. Both of them have a history together with Akiza leaving the Duel Academy that they both attended together, upsetting Sherry. They eventually reconcile after their duel.